Rule 212.3.Pre-Trial Conference.

Adopted September 8, 1938 · Last amended December 15, 2010 · Last verified June 30, 2026

In one sentenceRule 212.3 authorizes the pre-trial conference, letting the court direct the parties to confer on simplifying issues, scheduling, admissions, limiting experts, and settlement or mediation, require a representative with settlement authority to attend, and enter an order that controls the later course of the case.

Full Text of Rule 212.3

Text sizeJump to: (a) (b) (c) (d) (e)

(a) In any action at any time the court, sua sponte or on motion of any party, may direct the attorneys for the parties or any unrepresented party to appear for a conference to consider:

(1) The simplification of the issues;

(2) The entry of a scheduling order;

(3) The possibility of obtaining admissions of fact and of documents which will avoid unnecessary proof;

(4) The limitation of the number of expert witnesses;

(5) Settlement and/or mediation of the case;

(6) Such other matters as may aid in the disposition of the action.

(b) A court may require, pursuant to a court order, various parties to attend a pre-trial conference, including an insurance or similar representative, who has authority to negotiate and settle the case.

(c) In the absence of a court order, at any pre-trial conference held after the filing of the pre-trial statements and that will involve settlement discussions:

(1) prior to the conference date, the attorneys for the parties, or the parties if unrepresented, shall engage in good faith efforts to resolve the case;

(2) an attorney who will be trying the case, or another attorney who has sufficient knowledge of the claims asserted, defenses presented, relief sought and legal issues raised, and has the authority to act on behalf of the client shall attend the pre-trial conference; and

(3) an insurance or similar representative, who has authority to negotiate and settle the case, must either attend the pre-trial conference or be promptly available by telephone.

(d) The court may make an order reciting the action taken at the conference and the agreements made by the parties as to any of the matters considered, and limiting the issues for trial to those not disposed of by admissions or agreements of the attorneys. Such order when entered shall control the subsequent course of the action unless modified at the trial to prevent manifest injustice.

(e) The court may establish by rule a pre-trial list on which actions may be placed for consideration as above provided, and may either confine the list to jury actions or to non-jury actions, or extend it to all actions.

End

Plain-English Summary

This rule gives the court a management tool. On its own or on a party’s motion, the court may direct the attorneys or unrepresented parties to a conference to simplify the issues, enter a scheduling order, secure admissions that avoid needless proof, limit the number of experts, explore settlement or mediation, and take up anything else that helps move the case.

Settlement is a focus. The court may order parties — including an insurance or similar representative with authority to negotiate and settle — to attend. For settlement conferences after pre-trial statements are filed, counsel must make good-faith efforts to resolve the case beforehand, a lawyer with knowledge and authority must attend, and a representative with settlement authority must attend or be promptly available by phone.

The conference can shape the trial. The court may enter an order reciting the actions taken and agreements made and limiting the issues for trial; that order controls the later course of the case unless modified at trial to prevent manifest injustice.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a pre-trial conference for?

To simplify the issues, set a schedule, obtain admissions that avoid unnecessary proof, limit experts, and explore settlement or mediation — along with any other matter that aids disposition of the case.

Can the court require someone with settlement authority to attend?

Yes. The court may require parties, including an insurance or similar representative with authority to negotiate and settle, to attend; for certain settlement conferences, that representative must attend or be promptly available by telephone.

Official Note

Official Note: See Rule 212.5 for procedures governing a settlement conference.

Amendment History

The provisions of this Rule 212 adopted September 8, 1938, effective March 20, 1939; amended April 18, 1975, effective immediately, 5 Pa.B. 1820; renumbered Rule 212.3 and amended August 11, 1997, effective December 1, 1997, 27 Pa.B. 4426; amended December 15, 2010, effective January 15, 2011, 41 Pa.B. 214. Immediately preceding text appears at serial page (293818).

Source & verification. Rule text, the Official Note, and the amendment history are reproduced verbatim from the Pennsylvania Code, Title 231, the official compilation of rules adopted by the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. Last verified June 30, 2026. · Official text

Also known as: pre-trial conferencesettlement conferencescheduling order